


Forgiveness

by E350tb



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Forgiveness, Gen, Quartz Sibs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-06
Updated: 2020-04-06
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:53:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23515726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/E350tb/pseuds/E350tb
Summary: “Am I a bad person?”Amethyst’s eyebrows shot up as she glanced over to Steven.
Relationships: Amethyst & Steven Universe
Comments: 12
Kudos: 139





	Forgiveness

** Forgiveness **

“Am I a bad person?”

Amethyst’s eyebrows shot up as she glanced over to Steven. They sat on the grass by the cliff, looking out over the bay, the distant shape of Beach City and the Temple lit by the setting sun. The house out here had been a good compromise, she thought - after his journey, Steven had wanted to be near his old world, but he wanted to create a new one too. The little dwelling Bismuth had built for him and Connie was perfect; not too close, not too far.

(In any case, it was empty for much of the year while the two were at college.)

His face wasn’t pained, she noticed; he didn’t look like he was about to break down. Instead he looked _contemplative_.

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“I have you up here all the time,” replied Steven. “And Peridot, Lapis and Bismuth, and everyone else. I mean, Dad comes up for dinner every week. But…”

Amethyst nodded slowly, understanding.

“But Pearl and Garnet…”

“They haven’t been up since the house warming,” he said. “And I guess I feel like I’d rather…”

“...they didn’t, yeah.” Amethyst ran a finger through her hair, curling it around the digit.

“Is that wrong?” asked Steven. “Like, I love them, don’t get me wrong, but-”

“-but they hurt you,” said Amethyst. “Heck, _I_ hurt you.”

Steven exhaled.

“Yeah,” he replied. “But you were the only one who treated me like an equal? Does that make sense?”

“What’s Dr. Brooks say about this?” asked Amethyst.

Steven lay on his back, staring at the clouds.

“She said that whether or not I _forgive_ them has nothing to do with how much I love them,” he said. “But forgiveness is the right thing, so-”

“She didn’t tell you _that_ , Steven,” said Amethyst, mouth twisting into a slight grin.

Steven sighed.

“No,” he replied. “She said I had to forgive at my own pace. And if I never wanted to, I didn’t have to.”

Amethyst smiled, putting a hand on his shoulder.

“You wanna know a secret?” she asked.

Steven raised an eyebrow.

“Hit me.”

“There is so much they did to me that I thought I had to forgive,” said Amethyst. “Rose always said ‘it’s what Crystal Gems do,’ you know. But you know what? I don’t. It’s not even that I can’t, it’s that…”

She sighed loudly, falling onto her back next to Steven.

“They always cared about me,” she said. “But the way they showed it - so often they made me feel so small, so _worthless_. And… and I _can_ forgive that, probably, but…”

“...but you don’t _want_ to.”

“No,” replied Amethyst. “Because it’s not theirs to have whenever I’m ready. It’s mine to give. And I don’t wanna give it. And it doesn’t change how much I love them, it’s just… I dunno, what would Doc Brooks call it?”

“I think she’d call it setting a boundary,” mused Steven. “Or maybe reclaiming agency? Or… I dunno, something like that.”

“Maybe I should hit her up.”

“Maybe! She’d like you, I think.”

They chuckled. Then, for a long time, they gazed silently at the darkening sky.

“I forgive you, though,” said Steven.

“Dude, you don’t have-”

“I _want_ to,” he interrupted, turning to her and smiling.

Amethyst paused; very slowly, she broke into a grin.

“Still quartz sibs, huh?” she said, her voice cracking.

Steven grinned back.

“For life.”


End file.
